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Cindy Cameron

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By Cindy Cameron

2014 marks the year of the Winter Olympics. I love the Olympics, although I must admit I love the summer games a bit more than the winter games. I mostly attribute this to growing up in Southern California. But the athlete’s stories of hard work, perseverance, and triumph are inspiring and goosebump worthy.

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By Cindy Cameron

As 2014 rolled around a couple weeks ago, something just didn’t feel like “New Year’s Day” to me. Maybe it was because it was a Wednesday; maybe it was because it was 70+ degrees outside in January. But to try to get into the spirit of the new year, I started to think about some resolutions I could make: to spend more time with God, family and friends, eat less dessert, journal more, exercise consistently, the list could go on…

But honestly, I am not disciplined enough nor do I have unlimited amounts of self-control to accomplish each one of these resolutions throughout 2014. In fact, it’s already the middle of January and I’ve already messed up the exercise and journal resolutions. I’m going to try and keep working at them all, and I hope that my efforts are not in vain, because they are reasonable and doable.

Then I started thinking: Why does a new year have to come in order for me to resolve to make changes in my life for the better?

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By Cindy Cameron

A lot of movies have given us many Christmas-y icons that we associate with this time of year, sometimes even before we think of Jesus, the very person’s birth we are supposed to be celebrating! These relatable and redeeming characters have become traditional Christmas stories that we love to revisit each year to get into the holiday spirit. The stories of these characters aren’t completely worldly, in fact if you stop and think about some of them, you might be surprised what you uncover…

The Grinch – this devious and greedy being was very easily irritated by others’ joy BUT when bequeathed with the kindness of others, he is reborn as a kinder self! Sound familiar? 2 Corinthians 5:17 “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – in charge of leading Santa’s sleigh through the foggy winters on Christmas Eve, Rudolph leads the rest of the reindeer, including ones who previously ridiculed and mocked him, on their mission to complete Santa’s journey. Matthew 5:14-15 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Buddy the Elf – naïve and innocent man who was raised away from his family in a whole different world (the North Pole), and yearns to look for his real Father, and eventually finds him. Deuteronomy 4:29 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him, if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul.”

But there is one story we cannot forget.

My favorite place to read it is in the Bible, found at Luke 2:1-20. It is the birth of Jesus! Thankfully, God sent us the perfect Savior and this is why I celebrate Christmas. The characters from those classic movies have become memorable, but the best Christmas story to tell each year is the birth of Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Jesus isn’t some fictional character. He is real and alive! If you have never read the story of the birth of Jesus, I welcome you to uncover it for yourself here → The Birth of Jesus

—————————Cindy is the coordinator for Trinity’s House Church, The Fellowship. The Fellowship is Trinity’s alternative spiritual community focused on making deep connections and enjoying each other’s talents and company. We meet in our homes, where we build camaraderie around singing, sharing, prayer and food. Join us on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.

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By Cindy Cameron

There are a lot of voices in the world suggesting how women should live and act in this world. Articles of “advice” litter my Facebook page and it’s enough to make me feel like I am going crazy. Some voices are good – my own voice, my parent’s, everyone who I love. But other voices are not so good – everyone who I fear, society’s voice, social media, and worst of all, Satan’s voice. Everyone has the platform to write an article and have people read it thanks to the Internet. Even me, as I contribute to this blog!

Every week, it seems like a new article is posted on Facebook about the “30 things to do before 30” or “15 signs you are in introvert” or what character you are from a movie based on your Myers-Briggs type. I’ll admit it, I read all those articles. But after a while, I got tired of seeing the cookie cutter outlines that all women are supposed to fit in. The laundry list of qualities to have is overwhelmingly burdensome. The generic travel/relationship/lifestyle advice is repetitive and I can only assume that the same applies for guys, since there are probably those same gender stereotyping articles floating out there too, but I haven’t read them. Let’s face it, if we all did the things on those lists, a list of 30 more things would be written.

But wait a minute, didn’t God make me uniquely?! If I don’t work my dream job/take a road trip/write a book before I turn 30, God is not disappointed in me. I don’t have to fit into the pretty little ISTJ box that psychologists created. I can just be who God created me to be, whoever that is and I can walk down the path that He has for me. All the voices, good or bad, can send me on a little detour of the path God has planned for me, if I’m not careful to discern whose voice it is.

The only voice we need to focus on is God’s. God’s voice pushes all the other voices to the side, and can make what seemed like the most complicated situation so very very simple. When other voices are allowed to shape my life, I become confused and often take a longer route to get where God really wants me to be. God’s voice silences the other ones all around us. Don’t know how to handle a situation at school/work? Struggling to figure out what to do with the rest of your life? Listen for God’s voice. Protect your identity. Know God’s voice and listen to God’s voice.

Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.
Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not disregard it.
Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.
For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord.

– Proverbs 8:32-35

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Cindy is the coordinator for Trinity’s House Church, The Fellowship. The Fellowship is Trinity’s alternative spiritual community focused on making deep connections and enjoying each other’s talents and company. We meet in our homes, where we build camaraderie around singing, sharing, prayer and food. Join us on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.

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Higher than the mountains that I face
Stronger than the power of the grave
Constant through the trial and the change
One thing remains
One thing remains

Your love never fails it never gives up it never runs out on me x3

On and one and on and on it goes
It overwhelms and satisfies my soul
And I never ever have to be afraid
One thing remains

In death and in life I’m confident and covered by the power of your great love
My debt is paid there’s nothing that can separate my heart from your great love

The worship team at Trinity added this song to their setlist rotation a while ago, and it speaks deeply to me every time I hear the congregation sing it together. Sometimes the song gives me goosebumps, other times it brings tears to my eyes. But each time, it is definitely the Holy Spirit speaking to me, preaching to me words that I need to hear, reminding me just how wonderful God’s love is. God’s love is so big, unconditional, extraordinary, amazing, special; these adjectives don’t do it justice.

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NOTICE: All content on this blog belong to the original authors. The posts found here do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, policies or opinions of Trinity Church of the Nazarene, its staff or the Nazarene Church.